Summary
- Every original team member from the first Ghostbusters movie, including Janine, will be suiting up to combat a new threat in Frozen Empire.
- Janine’s hands-on role as the fourth member of the team makes sense given her history as the Ghostbusters’ secretary.
- The addition of Janine suiting up pays tribute to Harold Ramis’ character and adds another layer of depth to the movie similar to Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will see an original character from the first movie enter the field as a Ghostbuster, the actor revealing their thoughts on the change. The newest movie will see teams new and old trying to save New York City from the Death Chill, a new entity that could bring about another Ice Age. Because of how big the threat is, every team member from the original movie will be returning – including Janine Melnitz.
Speaking with Empire, Janine actor Annie Potts revealed she will be suiting up in in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire‘s story, joining the original team on the ground. She explained why it was important for her to suit up in this entry of the franchise, as well as her excitement to do so. Check out what Potts had to say below:
It’s a desperate situation, so it’s all hands on deck. It turns out Janine is quite capable – as most women tend to be when given the chance. It came as a real surprise. We were weeks into shooting and Gil [Kenan, director] came up to me and said, ‘We think it’s time… We’re gonna have you suit up.’
I have to say I did [get a kick out of it]. Janine has served long and well, and I felt like she was finally getting her stripes, you know? She’s clearly stayed in touch with the guys [between Ghostbusters II and Frozen Empire], and she’s really been the keeper of the flame at the Firehouse. The Ghostbusters are kind of superheroes, so it’s very nice to finally be seen in that way, too.
Janine has been featured as a Ghostbuster before in episodes of the animated series The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters.
Why It’s Time For Janine To Suit Up In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
Due to how dangerous the Death Chill appears to be, it could prove an even greater threat to New York – and the world – than Gozer. This will require everyone who can combat it to be on the ground, including Janine. Given her history as the Ghostbusters’ secretary, it makes sense for her to have a hands-on role as the team faces what could be their biggest threat yet.
Janine’s connection to Egon throughout the franchise also makes it appropriate for her to take up his mantle as the fourth member of the team. Doing so rounds out the older generation of Ghostbusters while paying tribute to Harold Ramis’ character. This may be addressed in the movie as well, adding another tribute to the actor similarly to the way Ghostbusters: Afterlife did.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Can’t Repeat The Franchise’s Biggest Mistake For 1 Returning Character
The upcoming Ghostbusters movie, Frozen Empire, has the opportunity to remedy a repeated failure from the previous films in the franchise.
With Janine now putting on a suit after so many decades, it seems Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire will be delivering one of the biggest teams of ghost hunters yet. Given the return of characters new and old, the new threat unfolding across New York City could change the landscape of the franchise forever. This doesn’t just mean changes in the team dynamics, but also to characters as they battle this new major villain.
Source: Empire
